Systems and methods for battery usage regulation for battery life protection

• US 10,023,068 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2015
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Inventors: Zhou, Lining, Books, Martin T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fantu, Yalkew
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHARIEF, MOHAMMED JAMEEL
• Application Number:
  US14/881,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20170101027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• Field of Search: 320106, 320132-134
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/16 responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH]
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3647 for determining the ability of a battery to perform a critical function, e.g. cranking
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/374 with means for correcting the measurement for temperature or ageing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus of managing the lifespan of a battery are disclosed herein. A method comprises interpreting age data indicative of a current age of a battery, interpreting usage data indicative of a current usage of the battery, comparing the age data to the usage data, and allocating a propelling power from the battery in a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) responsive to the comparison.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an age data module structured to interpret age data indicative of a current age of a battery, the age data including a period of time since the battery began to be used in a vehicle;

a usage data module structured to interpret usage data indicative of a current usage of the battery;

a comparison module structured to compare the age data to the usage data, the comparison including;

determining a first data indicative of a first estimate of remaining life of the battery based on the current age of the battery;

determining a second data indicative of a second estimate of remaining life of the battery based on the current usage of the battery; and

comparing the first data to the second data; and

an allocation module structured to allocate a propelling power from the battery to control an electrical machine of the vehicle responsive to the comparison, wherein responsive to the first data being greater than or equal to the second data, maintaining an amount of propelling power from the battery to control the electrical machine, and wherein responsive to the second data being greater than the first data, reducing an amount of propelling power from the battery to control the electrical machine.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the age data further includes an indication of a distance that the battery has travelled with the vehicle.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the usage data includes a current cumulative throughput of the battery.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the usage data includes a current state of health (SOH) of the battery.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the allocation module is further structured to derate a power limit of the battery available to propel the vehicle responsive to a determination that the second data exceeds the first data beyond a threshold.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the allocation module is further structured to stop use of the battery in operations that consume battery life quickly responsive to a determination that the second data exceeds the first data beyond a threshold.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a collection module structured to collect the age data and the usage data for a period of time, wherein during the period of time, operation of the vehicle is free of regulation of usage of the battery.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV).

9. A system, comprising:

a battery;

a battery monitor coupled to the battery; and

a controller communicably coupled to the battery and the battery monitor, the controller structured to;

interpret age data indicative of a current age of the battery received from the battery monitor to determine a first data indicative of a first estimate of remaining life of the battery, the age data including a period of time since the battery began to be used in a vehicle;

interpret usage data indicative of a current usage of the battery received from the battery monitor to determine a second data indicative of a second estimate of remaining life of the battery;

compare the age data to the usage data; and

allocate a propelling power from the battery to power an electrical machine of the vehicle responsive to the comparison, wherein responsive to the first data being greater than or equal to the second data, maintaining an amount of propelling power from the battery to control the electrical machine, and wherein responsive to the second data being greater than the first data, reducing an amount of propelling power from the battery to control the electrical machine.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is further structured to:

derate a power limit of the battery available to propel the vehicle responsive to a determination that the second data exceeds the first data beyond a threshold.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is further structured to:

stop use of the battery in operations that consume battery life quickly responsive to a determination that the second data exceeds the first data beyond a threshold.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is further structured to:

collect the age data and the usage data for a period of time, wherein during the period of time, operation of the vehicle is free of regulation of usage of the battery.

13. A method comprising:

interpreting age data indicative of a current age of a battery, to determine a first data indicative of a first estimate of remaining life of the battery, the age data including a period of time since the battery began to be used in a vehicle;

interpreting usage data indicative of a current usage of the battery to determine a second data indicative of a second estimate of remaining life of the battery;

comparing the age data to the usage data; and

allocating a propelling power from the battery to power an electrical machine of the vehicle responsive to the comparison, wherein responsive to the first data being greater than or equal to the second data, maintaining an amount of propelling power from the battery to control the electrical machine, and wherein responsive to the second data being greater than the first data, reducing an amount of propelling power from the battery to control the electrical machine.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said allocating the propelling power from the battery in the vehicle responsive to the comparison includes:

re-allocating the propelling power if the second data exceeds the first data beyond a threshold; and

maintaining a current allocation of the propelling power if the second data does not exceeds the first data beyond the threshold.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said allocating the propelling power includes:

derating a power limit of the battery available to propel the vehicle responsive to a determination that the second data exceeds the first data beyond a threshold.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said allocating the propelling power includes:

stopping use of the battery in operations that consume battery life quickly responsive to a determination that the second data exceeds the first data beyond a threshold.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

collecting the age data and the usage data for a period of time, wherein during the period of time, operation of the vehicle is free of regulation of usage of the battery.